Bois B. Cartwright

Published 5:00 pm Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Bois B. Cartwright, 82 of Hertford County, passed away just before midnight on Saturday, November 9, 2013. She was born, Bois Mae Bobbitt, to Walter Norfleet Bobbitt and Katie Frances Currie Bobbitt, in Nash County, NC on August 19, 1931.

She attended public schools in Halifax and Herford County and was a 1950 graduate of Murfreesboro High School, where she excelled in athletics and played basketball.  She graduated from East Carolina College in 1955, where she obtained her teaching degree.

Mrs. Cartwright married James Edward Cartwright on December 20, 1955 at Buckhorn Baptist Church in Como. Officiating the wedding was her Uncle, David Bobbitt, who was the Pastor of Colerain Baptist Church.

Mrs. Cartwright is survived by her two sons, David of Boston, MA and Edward of Greenville, NC. She is also survived by her son Edward’s wife, Deborah Leary (of Ahoskie), and their two daughters, Laura, a senior at UNC- Chapel Hill, and Meredith, a junior at DH Conley High School in Greenville.

Mrs. Cartwright’s eyes always lit up when the subject of her granddaughters, Laura and Meredith, came up. She kept a small album of pictures with her at all times and was not shy about showing the pictures when the occasion arose. While traveling in China, she found herself in need of the photos, and she began proudly showing them to people she had met, while touring the Great Wall of China!

She was a loving mother and excellent homemaker. She taught in the public schools of South Norfolk, VA, Fort Richardson and Anchorage, AK and Northampton County.

Mrs. Cartwright retired from teaching and spent the last years of her life traveling whenever she could, and serving in the Order of the Eastern Star. Among her OES posts were Worthy Matron of the Pendleton and Ahoskie Chapters, and in various state and national positions.

She enjoyed canning and freezing garden-grown vegetables and developed a passion for making her own pickles. It was hard for people to say which variety they liked best – her sweet cucumber pickles or her tangy watermelon-rind variety. Amongst many, she became known as “the pickle lady” because she gave away so many jars of these delights at Christmastime.

Mrs. Cartwright requested a small, family-led, private, graveside service at her beloved Buckhorn Baptist Church, which was held on Wednesday, November 13. She requested cremation, and her ashes to be placed in one of her pickle jars. She wanted the remaining jars of her famous pickles to be used at her graveside service instead of flowers. Massey Funeral Home of Roanoke Rapids coordinated her cremation.

Expressions of condolences can be sent to her son Edward’s home address, 118 Knight Drive, Winterville, NC 28590. The celebration of her life will be continued on her Facebook page, where her many friends can share their wonderful memories and photos. Those not already a Facebook friend, can send a friend request to her page by using her Facebook name: XBois XCart.